† unseelyadj.
Obsolete.
1. Of persons:
a. Unfortunate, unhappy, miserable, wretched; deserving pity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > [adjective] > miserable or wretched
un-i-selieOE
drearyOE
unseelyOE
wretcha1122
usellc1175
unselea1200
wretcheda1200
misease?c1225
un-i-sele?c1250
wanlichec1275
miseasyc1300
wrackfulc1311
unblessed1340
wretchfula1382
wretchedful1382
caitiff1393
loddera1400
unhappena1400
pilledc1400
miserable?c1422
vengeablec1430
unhappyc1440
meschant?1473
miserousc1475
unselc1480
miser1542
forlorn1582
villainous1582
skybala1585
unblestful1608
despicable1635
haveless1868
the mind > emotion > suffering > misery > [adjective]
armlyeOE
un-i-selieOE
unledeeOE
unseelyOE
armOE
wretcha1122
unselea1200
wretcheda1200
wretchlyc1200
misease?c1225
wanlichec1275
miseasyc1300
wansomea1325
simplec1330
wretchfula1382
wretchedful1382
caitiff1393
loddera1400
desolate14..
disconsolatea1425
meschant?1473
miserousc1475
miser1542
unvisited1548
tribulate1575
happiless1582
uncomforted1583
blisslessa1586
uncomfortless1598
miserablea1616
thrallfula1618
calamitous1668
tribulated1682
donsie?1719
unsolaced1796
mis1939
the mind > emotion > compassion > quality of exciting pity > [adjective]
armlyeOE
unseelyOE
rulyOE
ruefulc1225
ruthfulc1225
sorryc1225
piteousc1300
poorc1300
ruthlyc1300
pietousa1393
pitifulc1450
lamentablec1460
miserable?a1475
pitiablec1475
execrable1490
plainful1555
tristsum1567
passionatea1586
touchinga1586
pathetic1591
melting1593
remorseful?1615
compassionate1630
compassionable1635
ruesome1833
po'1866
little-boy-lost1957
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective] > suffering misfortune
feyOE
unseelyOE
wanspeedyc1000
unselea1200
unblessed1340
unhappena1400
unhappyc1440
misfortuneda1500
unfortunate1530
unlucky1542
misdight1607
unblestful1608
inominal1656
unprovidenceda1661
unfortunable1729
OE Cynewulf Juliana 450 Ic þec halsige..þæt þu miltsige me þearfendum, þæt unsælig eall ne forweorþe, þeah ic þec gedyrstig ond þus dolwillen si þe gesohte, þær ic swiþe me þyslicre ær þrage ne wende.
a1023 Wulfstan Homilies 52 Deofol..gedeð swa þurh þæt, þæt unsælig man wisdomes ne gymeð.
c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 4812 Unnseliȝ mann. Amm icc onn eorþe wurrþenn.
?c1225 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 55 Sum vnseli [a1250 Nero uniseli] haueð..ischriuen hire alto wunder.
c1275 xi Pains Hell 7 in Old Eng. Misc. 147 Vnsely gost hwat dostu here?
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1868) iv. pr. iv. 124 Ȝit mot it nedes be þat shrewes ben more wrecches and vnsely.
14.. Seven Points Wisd. iii. (Douce 114) f. 108 Loo I vnselye..sowht abowte to gete me a wyfe.
a1425 (c1395) Bible (Wycliffite, L.V.) (Royal) (1850) Rom. vii. 24 Y am an vnceli man; who schal delyuer me fro the bodi of this synne?
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid i. xi. 36 The fey wnsely Dido, For the mischeif to cum predestinate, Mycht not refrene.
1513 G. Douglas tr. Virgil Æneid v. viii. 86 Vnsilly wycht! quhow did thi mynd invaid Sic gret wodnes?
a1555 J. Philpot tr. C. S. Curione Def. Authority Christ's Church in R. Eden Exam. & Writings J. Philpot (1842) (modernized text) 418 Barbarous words by the which unto unsely [L. incautis] and foolish folk they avaunt themselves to be marvelled at.
b. Bringing misfortune on oneself or others; unlucky; evil-doing, wicked.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > evil person > [adjective]
unseelyOE
illa1200
unwrast?c1225
wrackc1375
wronga1382
viciousc1386
naughtyc1460
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective]
litherc893
unledeeOE
evil971
missOE
murkOE
unrighteousOE
unseelyOE
un-i-seliOE
unselec1050
wickc1175
foul-itowenc1225
unwrast?c1225
un-i-felec1275
wickedc1275
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
unquertc1390
unperfect1395
felona1400
wanc1440
meschant?c1450
sinnyc1475
unselc1480
poison?1527
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
viperous?1548
improbate1596
scelestious1609
scelestic1628
spider-like1655
dark-hearted1656
demonic1796
nineteda1798
sinful1863
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective] > causing or bringing misfortune > specifically of persons
unseelyOE
OE Andreas (1932) 561 Hæleð unsælige no ðær gelyfdon in hira liffruman, grome gealgmode, þæt he god wære.
a1200 St. Marher. 16 Sathanas the unseli, the..of parais lihte so lahe.
c1275 (?a1200) Laȝamon Brut (Calig.) (1963) l. 1266 Bi hire he hæfde twein sunen ah beine heo weoren unseli [c1300 Otho onseli].
a1300 Cursor Mundi 1223 Vnseli caym..Wit god and man þan was..hated.
1340–70 Alex. & Dind. 987 We ben of-set wiþ no sinne for vnsely godus.
c1400 N. Love tr. Bonaventura Mirror Life Christ (1908) 225 How paciently..he resceyuede that false feyned clippynge and traitoures cusse of that vnsely disciple.
1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. 4233 Vnhappy woman, causere of oure peyne, Hard & vnsely.
c. Of animals: Mischievous, harmful.
ΘΚΠ
the world > animals > by nature > [adjective] > mischievous
unseelyc1400
scaddle1589
c1400 (?c1390) Sir Gawain & Green Knight (1940) l. 1562 Þe lorde..Sweȝ his vncely swyn, þat swyngeȝ bi þe bonkkeȝ & bote þe best of his bracheȝ þe bakkeȝ in sunder.
1804 R. Couper Poetry II. 84 My bacon ham..Th' unseely tyke has ta'en.
2. Of things, conditions, etc.: Causing or involving, accompanied by, misfortune or unhappiness.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [adjective]
unseelyOE
ungraciousa1387
infortunatec1390
unhappy1390
haplessa1400
mischancefula1400
unfortunedc1403
infortuneda1413
maleurousa1460
infortunable?a1475
mal-infortunedc1475
unselc1480
mischanced1488
misadventurousa1500
unhap1509
misfortunate1510
mischancya1522
unuredc1525
maleureda1529
unlucky1530
unfortunate1548
luckless1563
unluckly1564
unfortunable1567
untoward1570
unable?1572
sinister1576
unsonsy1578
disaster1584
disastereda1586
disastrous1586
unweirdedc1590
wanhappy?1590
misbefallen1591
fortuneless1596
infelicious1598
misadventured1599
improsperous1602
untoward1632
unhandsome1640
ill-fated1715
donsie?1719
swarthy1756
infelicitous1835
bad luck1872
stiff1919
spooked1937
jinxed1972
OE Genesis 637 Sum hire æt heortan læg, æppel unsælga, þone hire ær forbead drihtna drihten, deaðbeames ofet.
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (1868) ii. pr. iv. 39 Þe most vnsely kynde of contrariouse fortune.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Gött.) l. 15842 ‘Ha men,’ he said, ‘quat ȝe er of ane vnseli toght’.
a1400 Metr. Hom. (Ashm. 42) f. 148 b To þat ilk vnceli lande Þare he bees bonden fote and hand Full hard wiþ þe deuils band.
1412–20 J. Lydgate tr. Hist. Troy ii. 3249 A! Priam kyng! vncely is þi chance!
a1450 Northern Passion 2024 We han pleyd vnseli plawis.
1513 G. Douglas in tr. Virgil Æneid iv. Prol. 230 Lo! with quhat thocht, quhat bitternes and pane Luif vnseilly breidis in euery wycht!
1828 P. Buchan Anc. Ballads & Songs N. Scotl. II. 11 There fell a-rousing them amang, On an unseally time.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1926; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.OE